The chatter surrounding marijuana law in Texas intensifies this week as four proposals go before a Texas House committee hearing Wednesday.
The Texas House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, led by state Rep. Abel Herrero, will consider marijuana criminalization through a number of lenses. One bill seeks to make possession of less than an ounce a civil infraction, while two others would make it a Class C misdemeanor. A fourth aims for wholesale legalization.
“[The bills] range from allowing just one medicinal component of marijuana to legalizing the drug in its entirety,” Texas A&M School of Law professor Frank Snyder said.
More than half of the United States permits the drug in at least one of its forms, with 23 states recognizing medicinal usage of marijuana and four legalizing it for recreational use — Colorado and Washington since 2012, and Alaska and Oregon since 2014. Other states, including Texas, have pending ballot measures to allow the drug medicinally or recreationally.
Heather Fazio, Texas political director of the Marijuana Policy Project, works to mobilize grassroots efforts in support of broader marijuana policy in Texas. Fazio said the organization’s priority right now remains the removal of all penalties for medical marijuana and lighter charges for those found in possession of the drug recreationally.
“We are pushing for the possession of a small amount of marijuana — one ounce or less — to be ticketable and without jail time,” Fazio said. “Additionally, the charge will not remain on your criminal record.”
Fazio said while Texas still criminalizes recreational possession, the penalties should be reasonable.
“I think if there’s going to be reasonable regulation, most Texans would agree [marijuana] should be regulated similarly to alcohol — for responsible adults to enjoy and to not drive under,” Fazio said.
The legality of cannabis now remains entirely under state jurisdiction. Snyder said federal government is entirely rejecting interference.
“Federal law focuses on big name drug circles while states deal chiefly with possession,” Snyder said. “Since national government does not want to spend time going after possession, they won’t interfere.”
Snyder said legalization has given rise to a new and active market.
“For example, Colorado has a robust industry because there are no limitations on people who can grow [marijuana] and resell it,” Snyder said.
Marijuana legalization has …Read More